Wednesday, September 17, 2014

It's the Little Things

To help write these blogs I
have been reading through my CaringBridge posts and other writing I did during
treatment and there is certainly a theme that runs through from beginning to
end: the importance of positivity and gratitude for the little things. These
values not only helped me get through my experience with cancer, they are the
way I have always and continue to live my life.

There
are several passages that I wrote previously that I think express these ideas
really well.

October 29, 2009 –Brain
Surgery Day

This I Believe Essay

“In the hospital it is
easy to be taken over by negative thinking. But I think that is a waste of
energy. Instead I am planning on suffocating cancer with laughter and smiles,
smothering it with hope and positivity and the love and support of my family
and friends. That’s not to say that I go around perpetually grinning. Sometimes
it’s a struggle to stay positive. That’s when I think of all I have to be
grateful for. Today, among other things, I am grateful for non-skid socks,
visiting friends, and applesauce. It’s these rays of light that help me stay
positive.”

I
think positivity is often confused with happiness. To me positivity doesn’t
mean being happy all the time. It means looking for the best in each situation
even when the situation is rough. What helped me to keep a positive attitude
was to look for the light spots in the dark. The small things that made me
smile, laugh, or feel warm inside. Sometimes it was having a good nurse,
getting a card for my grandma, graham crackers or a hug from my family or
friends. By looking for and appreciating the little things I was able to see
light in a dark place and look forward to the light at the end.

August 30, 2010 – Two
weeks after completing treatment

CaringBridge Journal Entry

“I really like thinking
about the little things that make me happy each day. They are almost better
than the big things. I think it’s because they are unexpected. They sneak up on
us and fill us from head to toe with joy.”

To
me, maintaining a positive attitude is a cycle. By looking for the best in a
situation, we notice the little things (so all you people doing the Facebook gratitude challenge, you are at the start of the cycle). When we appreciate the little things we
are able to maintain a positive outlook. With a positive attitude it becomes
easier to see the best in a situation and the cycle becomes a positive feedback
loop (pun possibly intended J
)